This application claims the priority of German patent application 102 31 717.8, filed Jul. 13, 2002, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a vehicle body having a center console cross member.
European Patent Document EP 0 479 630 A1 discloses a strut arranged between a cowl cross member and a center console cross member in the area of a holding device for a steering column of a motor vehicle.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle body structure configuration having a strut between a cowl cross member and a center console cross member, which strut ensures a rigid connection of a steering column and prevents shaking of the steering wheel.
A principal advantage achieved by the invention is that, by linking the strut to a junction point of the cowl cross member, such rigid support of the steering column is achieved that shaking of the steering wheel is prevented.
This and other objects and advantages are achieved by the vehicle body structure according to the invention, in which the strut is supported on a junction element arranged in the interior of the cowl cross member and on a holder arranged on the exterior side. The junction element fills out the interior cross-section of the cowl cross member in a precisely fitting manner. By providing a junction element that fits precisely into the cowl cross member (that is, rests snugly against all interior surfaces and has no further play), forces can be introduced directly into the cowl cross member.
In particular, the junction element comprises a profile element arranged in a bottom shell of the cowl cross member, and a structural foam part arranged on the profile element in a top shell of the cowl cross member. As a result of so-called swelling after a heat effect, this structural foam part ensures that a junction element is created which fills out the cross-section.
The structural foam part is arranged directly on the profile element, and in an installed condition is arranged with a gap measurement with respect to the top shell of the cowl cross member. In a supporting condition, the heat-expanded structural foam part fills out the shell of the cowl cross member without any gap.
For fastening the strut to the cowl cross member, a holder is provided which is fixedly connected with the bottom shell of the cowl cross member, and a bearing element is fastened to the holder. The bearing element is held by a fastening screw on the strut in a threaded nut. The end of the strut facing away from the holder is connected to the center console cross member, for example, by welding.
The bearing element has a sleeve, which is directly connected with the holder, as well as an axially adjoining compensation element. The sleeve and the compensation element can be connected with one another by way of the through-projecting screw which is fastened to the holder of the threaded nut. By means of the compensation element, possible gap measurements or tolerances between the strut and the stationary sleeve at the holder can be compensated.
According to the invention, the compensation element can be connected with the strut in a premountable manner, and the threaded nut is then fastened on the side of the holder facing away from the compensation element. This simplifies the mounting of the strut in that the compensation element is either fixedly connected with the strut or is held on the strut by means of a clip-type connection.
By fastening one end of the strut by way of the holder on the junction element of the cowl cross member, a rigid linking to the carrier is created. Thus, the steering column held on the center console cross member is stably supported, so that so-called shaking of the steering wheel due to vibrations in the vehicle can be avoided or prevented.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.